ThAct :Transcendentalism

 Hello friends, 

I am Bhavna Sosa , Student of MK Bhavnagar University. This Blog-post is a response to the thinking activity on 'Transcendentalism' given by our professor Vaidehi ma'am. 

What is Transcendentalism ?

Transcendentalism is a term associated with a group of new ideas in literature that emerged in New England in the early-to- mid 19th Century. The major figures in the movement included Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau.

Ralph Waldo Emerson :-

Ralph Waldo Emerson began his adult life as a Unitarian minister. He completed his studies at Harvard. As a child, he was greatly influenced by his aunt who introduced him to concepts such as the ideas of Hinduism. Emerson brought ideas of science, mysticism, and Eastern religions into the transcendentalist movement. 

Emerson's background as a minister greatly helped spread the ideas of transcendentalism. He preached in many churches, so many people were inclined to believe him. Emerson travelled a lot which encouraged the spread of trascendental ideas. 

One of Emerson's most prominent works was "The American Scholar." In this famous essay, he encouraged Americans to be proud of themselves and to stop looking elsewhere for ideas and inspiration.

David Henry Thoreau :-

Henry David Thoreau placed great emphasis on the importance of nature in one's life. For two years of his life, Thoreau lived in a hut he built on Walden Pond. He later wrote a book called Walden which described his experiences while living amongst nature. He also wrote an essay called "Civil Disobedience." The main purpose of this essay was that one's own conscience should be held at a higher priority than the law. 

These authors, along with others, were part of The Transcendental Club. The group met in Boston at the home of George Ripley. They started a publication known as The Dial which was edited by Margaret Fuller. Fuller was a radical feminist at the time.

Transcendentalists talks about Individual’s relation with Nature. What is Nature for you? Share your views.

According to me, nature is fundamental to our life. Nature also gives peace of mind. Nature performs major miracles for us every day – from giving us great views and helping to prevent floods to regulating the weather and keeping us supplied with clean water, fresh air and plentiful food.

Transcendentalism is an American Philosophy that influenced American Literature at length. Can you find any Indian/Regional literature or Philosophy came up with such similar thought?

I found many similar thoughts in Indian philosophy. Some of them I have discussed here. 

There are six major schools of Vedic philosophy-Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Samkhya, Yoga, Mimansa,and Vedanta, and five major heterodox schools-Jain, Buddhist, Ajivika, Ajnana, and Charvaka. However, there are other methods of classification; Vidyaranya for instance identifies sixteen schools of Indian philosophy by including those that belong to the Śaiva and Raseśvara traditions.

The main schools of Indian philosophy were formalised and recognised chiefly between 500 BCE and the late centuries of the Common Era.Competition and integration between the various schools was intense, despite later claims of Hindu unity. Some schools like Jainism, Buddhism, Yoga, Saiva and Vedanta survived, but others, like Ajnana, Charvaka and Ajivika did not.

Samkhya :-

Aphilosophical tradition which regards the universe as consisting of two independent realities: purusha and prakrti and which describes a soteriology based on this duality, in which purush is discerned and disentangled from the impurities of prakriti. It has included atheistic authors as well as some theistic thinkers, and forms the basis of much of subsequent Indian philosophy.

Yoga:-

 A school similar to Samkhya which accepts a personal god and focuses on yogic practice.

Nyaya :-

A philosophy which focuses on logic and epistemology. It accepts six kinds of pramanas (epistemic warrants): (1) perception, (2) inference, (3) comparison and analogy, (4) postulation, derivation from circumstances, (5) non-perception, negative/cognitive proof and (6) word, testimony of past or present reliable experts. Nyaya defends a form of direct realism and a theory of substances.

Vaisesika :-

Closely related to the Nyaya school, this tradition focused on the metaphysics of substance, and on defending a theory of atoms. Unlike Nyaya, they only accept two pramanas: perception and inference.

Purva-Mimamsa, a school which focuses on exegesis of the Vedas, philology and the interpretation of Vedic ritual.

Vedanta:-

Focuses on interpreting the philosophy of the Upanishads, particularly the soteriological and metaphysical ideas relating to Atman and Brahman.